How to Date a Med Student
by zagoorian athena
Summary: In which Sasuke learns that dating Sakura isn't all rainbows and butterflies because his girlfriend is studying to become a doctor in the future. /SasuSaku. AU. Drabble series./
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Screw my effed up life. -_- I know I'm supposed to be studying for my exam in Anatomy but _damn_, as soon as I saw this particular site and read the ways on how to date a med student, I immediately thought of Sasuke and Sakura and how I haven't written anything for quite a while now. Now I'm just bursting with ideas and I have another exam the following week, too. Anyway, I might as well just post this seeing as how I already wasted my precious study time. :P Happy reading! :D

**Written on: **July 5, 2011

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www (dot) yourtango (dot) com (slash) 200919756 (slash) tips-dating-med-student_.

**Warning(s): **AU.

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><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter One

_By Zagoorian Athena_

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><p><strong>1. Don't expect to see them. Ever.<strong>

Sasuke Uchiha prided himself in being _the_ guy. The epitome of tall, dark and handsome, he knew exactly how devilishly handsome he was, and thought that any girl would be lucky enough to even receive a glance from his direction. He walked through the streets of Konoha as if it were his runway knowing full well that people were watching his every move. He turned heads wherever he went and pretended to not care about all those things with his cold yet mysterious demeanor that seemed to entice the women all the more. He was what every woman wanted and what every man wanted to be.

—Which is why he couldn't understand her _at_ _all_!

How could Sakura Haruno, his girlfriend and thereby the luckiest woman in the entire universe, not fathom how extremely fortunate she was to be the object of his hard-to-get love and affection?

There he was, waiting for her for the past 2 hours in the fancy restaurant she had all but begged him to take her to and yet there was no sign of pink hair—not even a single strand of it—anywhere within a five-kilometer radius of said restaurant. To make matters worse, all his calls kept going to voice mail, the recorded message telling him she was 'busy at the moment'.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. Uchihas didn't wait—Sakura had known that rather pompous fact ever since they started dating, but that's exactly what she was making him do! Eventually, though, realization that she wouldn't be arriving anytime soon dawned upon him and with an exasperated sigh, he got up and practically dragged himself to where he knew she would probably be at this hour.

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><p>'<em>Dystrophin connects F-actin to the two members of the dystroglycan (DG) complex, and these in turn connect to the merosin subunit of laminin 211 in the extracellular matrix. The sarcoglycan…' <em>(1)

It was around three o' clock in the afternoon when Sakura resumed studying for her upcoming exam in one of her many difficult classes and she was so intent on the textbook in front of her that she had gotten lost in the sea of muscle physiology and totally lost track of time. By the time she resurfaced from her intense studying it had gotten significantly dark outside and she wondered what time it was since her tummy had started feeling a bit empty. A few moments of contemplating whether to continue studying or getting up to grab a bite to eat later, the doorbell to her apartment rang and she got up, stretching her back after being seated for a long period of time, before making her way to the door and opening it to reveal a very grumpy and very scary-looking Uchiha.

"Hey Sasuke-kun!" she greeted with a bright smile. "What are you—" she began to ask but stopped mid-question when she realized what day and time it was, and why the dark-haired man was standing in front of her, staring her down with the infamous Uchiha glare. "Oh crap! Oh _crapcrapcrapcrapcrap…_" she cried out, the happy look on her face suddenly transforming into a look of fear and worry.

"Oh crap is right," he darkly replied before stepping in and closing the door behind him with an eerie calmness.

A deafening silence filled the small living room as Sakura quietly contemplated what she had to do to make him forgive her _this time_. Yes, it wasn't the first time Sakura stood him up—but it's not like she meant to do it all those times, really! She honestly loved Sasuke with all her heart and she wouldn't even dream of letting an opportunity to spend time with him pass by; but ever since she started med school, her priorities sort of got shuffled a bit and she was either too busy or too tired to do anything not related to school every time he asked her out. And just when she thought she finally had a weekend free (well, relatively free when compared to her other weekends), her professor announced that he'd be moving the exam in Physiology a week early and in the state of panic she was in, she quickly holed herself up for the weekend, neglecting to call Sasuke and tell him she couldn't make it to their date.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, ready to bombard him with an eternal rain of apologies but was cut off with a sigh—not a frustrated one, but an understanding one—from her boyfriend who held up a bag of what she assumed was dinner. Blinking her emerald eyes in surprise a few times, she then smiled sheepishly up at him and tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear before drawing closer to the _man she loved so much _and encased him in a 'sorry' hug who quickly returned it with an 'I forgive you' embrace.

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><p>(1) Barrett, K. B. (2010). <em>Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology.<em> McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.

**A/N: **This is going to be a multi-chapter fic, by the way. Just don't expect me to update as frequently as I did with my other multi-chaptered stories because quite like Sakura, I'm also busy with school. :D Whether this'll be a series of drabbles or a continuous story with the chapters related with one another, I'm not so sure yet. :)) Just know that it's all gonna be about SasuSaku, naturally. ;) Send me a review, okay? :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Still not done with studying, but I just couldn't resist writing the second chapter. Anyway, there's always tomorrow to cram everything in! :)) I decided on making this a drabble series, all revolving around the life of Sasuke while dating Sakura who's still in med school. Each chapter can stand its own, so the chapters don't necessarily follow any particular order. :) Enjoy! :D

**Written on: **July 6, 2011

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www (dot) yourtango (dot) com (slash) 200919756 (slash) tips-dating-med-student_.

**Warning(s): **AU.

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><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter Two

_By Zagoorian Athena_

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><p><strong>2. Support them when they come home after each test, upset because they failed—and gently remind them after they get their well above passing grade how unnecessary the "I'm going to fail out of medical school and never become an MD" dramatics are.<strong>

(_sigh_)

(_twitch_)

Sasuke Uchiha tried his very best to control his urge to yell at his annoying girlfriend and was doing a damn good job at it, too. But one more sigh from her end would cause an almost-automatic twitch of his eyebrows and he might not be able to keep his sanity in check any longer. This routine had been going on for about thirty minutes now, a heavy silence filling the room they were in, and she had yet to tell him what was bothering her.

He wasn't a mind reader, he thought with a bitter growl to himself, so how was he supposed to know what her problem was?

And for the nth time that day, another sigh came from the pink-haired med student's mouth and Sasuke decided that he had had about enough of it. "Sakura…" he called out to her, surprising himself how _not annoyed_ he sounded.

It took her a few moments but she finally lifted her eyes from where they were staring intently at the floor to look into his onyx eyes. With an inward flinch, he immediately lost all the negative feelings he was harboring towards her when he saw how her eyes were glossy, tears threatening to spill any moment. As irritating as she was sometimes, particularly at that specific moment, he hated it even more when she cried because he couldn't bear to see her hurt or sad especially when he didn't even know the reason why. (It made him feel helpless and Sasuke Uchiha didn't like feeling helpless.)

Hesitantly, he lifted his arm to cup her cheek in his hand and brought himself closer to where she was seated beside him on the couch. And though Uchihas didn't normally hug people or much less bring comfort to others, this particular Uchiha was willing to make an exception for the woman he loved. He allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder and rubbed soothing circles on her back as she finally let the pent-up tears flow freely.

They stayed in that position for a while until Sakura finally managed to calm down enough to tell him what upset her.

"I'm… I'm…" she began explaining as she fidgeted around with the hem of her blouse. Then unexpectedly, she cried out "I'm going to fail out of medical school and never become an M.D.!" dampening Sasuke's shirt even more with fresh tears as she resumed her sobbing. Eyes wide open in bewilderment, Sasuke didn't know what else to do except tighten his grip around her shoulders and soothe her by mumbling "everything's going to be alright" a bit awkwardly.

"No, it's not," she countered despairingly, pushing herself gently off him to look into his eyes. He winced inconspicuously at her current appearance, not liking how the girl that usually seemed so bright and cheerful in spite of her workload looked so devastated and _broken _at the moment. "If I fail out of med school, then I won't become a doctor. If I don't become a doctor, I'll be jobless. If I become jobless, I'll be poor. If I become poor, you'll break up with me because I'll be all grimy and gross and live on the streets since I won't be able to afford my apartment anymore. If you break up with me, then we're never going to get married. And if we don't get married, then I might as well just _die_ because all I really want is to be with you forever. And… and…"

But Sasuke didn't allow her to finish her illogical reasoning anymore and just grabbed the back of her head and pressed his lips firmly onto hers. He could feel the wetness of her cheeks against his as he coaxed her gently for a response, one of his hands sliding over to the small of her back. She eventually complied with his request and snaked her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

They stayed glued to each other for a few more minutes until the need for air came to them at which point they broke apart and rested their foreheads together. Waiting until his breathing was back to normal, Sasuke then moved his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe the tears away before tilting his head up to kiss her forehead affectionately.

"One: you're not failing out of med school just because you flunked one exam. Your past exam scores are high enough to make up for any low score you got," he began explaining to her with a touch of softness to his voice. "Two: I won't ever break up with you even if you become poor because I'm not after your money, Sakura—I have enough of that already." At this, he smirked rather smugly, but the tenderness in his eyes remained. "Three," he continued, "I want to be with you forever, too, doctor or no doctor."

She opened her mouth to retort but he cut her off. "However, two and three don't really matter because as I said in number one: you're _not_ going to flunk out of med school."

Sakura merely stared at him in reply, touched by the sincerity of her boyfriend's words. Sasuke didn't usually consent to her ramblings of her fear of failing med school, but when he did, he always made sure to let her know that he'd continue loving her no matter what—much like what he did just then.

_Funny_, she thought to herself, _when I was telling myself those things, they seemed pretty hard to believe. But hearing it from Sasuke makes everything so much more convincing_. Her heart skipped a beat as he kissed her chastely on the lips, and the genuine smile he gave her was enough to make her feel a whole lot better.

She smiled a small smile in return and snuggled against his chest, instantly forgetting about her worries.

"And here I was, thinking I'd done something wrong to you," he quietly told her with a sigh of relief. She giggled lightly before replying "I'm sorry I worried you, Sasuke-kun".

"Hn," came his usual reply and they stayed in comfortable silence for the rest of the afternoon.

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><p><em>The next day…<em>

"Sasuke-kun!" called out a cheerful pink-haired girl as she waved at her boyfriend to indicate where she was waiting for him. He turned his head toward the direction of her voice and he almost couldn't stop himself from smiling upon seeing how much better she looked compared to the day before. In fact, she was radiant, more so than usual. She gave him a toothy grin as soon as he arrived in front of her and the black-haired guy could only raise an eyebrow at her weird attitude.

"So…" she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the direction of her apartment. "Remember the exam I was crying about yesterday?"

"Aa," he replied, not getting why she was suddenly happy about something that made her so depressed the day before.

"Well…" She paused for a dramatic effect, and then, "I actually passed!"

_Say what?_

"I even got the highest score, can you believe it?" she exclaimed happily.

Once he heard this, though, Sasuke Uchiha could only twitch his eyebrow at his paranoid girlfriend.

"You mean your exam scores weren't even released yet when you started crying yesterday?" he asked rather incredulously despite his stoic facade.

Sakura merely laughed heartily at his reaction as they both walked home together.

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><p><strong>AN: **Gaaah. I honestly wanted to make it longer than that, but I didn't want to overdo it. I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless. xD Okay, time to get back to my books now. =_=


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Omo~ I am so very deeply truly sorry for the long update. D: It's just that school has been over-the-top hectic and I've been having trouble logging in to my fanfiction account for months now. T_T Here are virtual cookies to all those who have been patiently waiting! I love you guys! :') So without further ado… Chapter 3! Happy reading! ;)

**Written on: **September 8, 2011

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www (dot) yourtango (dot) com (slash) 200919756 (slash) tips-dating-med-student_.

**Warning(s): **AU.

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><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter Three

_By Zagoorian Athena_

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><p><strong>3. Accept the fact they will have many affairs. With their books.<strong>

**Sakura Haruno**  
>Date with Snell and Robbins later! (heart)<br>_Like · Comment · about an hour ago_  
>Ino Yamanaka and 6 others like this.<br>**Ino Yamanaka** THREESOME! :))  
><em>3 minutes ago · Like<em>

If Sasuke Uchiha was any other guy, he would have probably spit out the coffee he had been so calmly sipping while checking his Facebook account. But because he was… well, _him_, he didn't and instead just widened his eyes in shock and choked a little bit before reverting back to his normal stoic façade.

His outward appearance was a total contradiction to the inner turmoil raging within him, however, as he suddenly felt woozy at the sight of his girlfriend's status update. He read it one more time, and reread it some more to confirm that he was seeing right and unfortunately, he was.

'_Is she cheating on me?_' was the first thought that came to his mind, but he realized that she probably wouldn't have announced it in public if she were. He then thought that maybe they were her cousins or something. Besides, what kind of a name is _Snell_? So he left it at that and continued with what he was doing before his Facebook break.

An hour later, the black-haired business tycoon stretched his back in satisfaction at finally finishing with his work, and opened a tab to his Facebook account again. He was _this_ close to forgetting about Sakura's status when he suddenly saw the conversation the girl in question and her best friend had on the thread of her status.

**Sakura Haruno** I don't know what you're talking about, pig. :P  
><strong>Ino Yamanaka<strong> HAHAHAHAHA. Does Sasuke even know about this? *snickers*  
><strong>Sakura Haruno<strong> And why on earth would I even have to tell him about "this"? Besides, he'd understand me, anyway. :)  
><strong>Ino Yamanaka<strong> LOL. Never mind. :P Aren't you supposed to be on your date now? =))  
><strong>Sakura Haruno<strong> Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna log out now. Wish me luck on my "date"! :)) :|

Sasuke, mortified as ever, could do nothing but stare at his laptop screen. The conversation, by the looks of it, happened 30 minutes ago which meant that at that exact moment, Sakura would already be with her dates.

He couldn't believe what was happening! After everything they've been through… after years of him patiently staying by her side in spite of all their hardships… how could she just disregard him like that? And "he'd understand me, anyway"? No, he could _not_ understand her. Why was she going on dates with men that he didn't know—foreigners, judging from their names—and announcing it on Facebook without even thinking how he'd feel? What's more is that she didn't even have the nerve to hide it from him.

Sasuke was hurt… no, he was _devastated_. He couldn't accept what was happening. '_Is this her way of breaking up with me?_' he asked himself. '_Has she grown tired of me? Are we spending too little time together? Has she found someone else?_' With those thoughts recurring in his mind, he got up from his swivel chair—he was alone in his CEO's office at the moment—and stared at the brilliant view of the city that mocked him from the large glass wall behind his desk.

He looked onwards blankly as the sun set, casting an orange-pink hue to the sky. Too lost in his thoughts, he didn't even hear the double doors of his office open to reveal the loudmouth blonde he called his best friend followed by his frantic secretary who was screaming about 'not being allowed to let him in'. But wanting to be alone at that moment, he turned around and gave a cold glare to the two who were arguing by the door. Upon sensing that he was not in the mood to tolerate any of his antics today, Naruto thus quieted down and left the office without saying another word.

Alone in his office again, Sasuke heaved a sad sigh and turned off his laptop as he prepared to leave the building. He walked to his car as if in a trance, not even bothering to mutter a 'hn' to all those who bowed as he passed by. Once he got in his car, he started the engine and drove off to his home.

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><p>A couple of days have gone by and Sasuke had yet to ask Sakura about that certain Facebook status. The fact that Sakura herself hadn't been texting or calling him bothered him so much to the point that he hadn't been going to work since the day he drove home with a heavy heart.<p>

Those days off gave him time to reflect and think about anything he might have done wrong to her. He reasoned that he's always been a good boyfriend: understanding and loyal despite his playboy image before they got together. Sure, he was moody on most occasions, but he was sure that she knew it was simply who he was. And besides, it's not like she didn't have her fair share of quirks. He couldn't count the number of times he got his phone out of desperation to hear her voice but put it back down as soon as he started dialing her number, nor could he tell how many times he picked up his phone expecting the caller to be her only to end up frustrated since it was only his secretary reminding him of his numerous appointments.

How was he supposed to care about work when Sakura was busy dating other men?

Moreover, Sasuke couldn't even believe how depressed he was. He was an Uchiha, for crying out loud!—he wasn't supposed to be hurt, and over a girl no less! His brother, Itachi, had dropped by a few times to remind him of who he was, but no matter what he or anyone else said, Sakura's effect on him was too great to ignore.

Finally, on the fourth day of his self-pitying, he decided to confront her about the situation. He texted her, asking where she was, and she replied with a simple 'home :)', causing him to cringe at how she seemed to be not bothered by this at all.

He arrived at her apartment half an hour later and knocked on her door a few times before it opened to reveal the green eyes that he'd missed so much.

"Hey, you. I haven't heard from you in days. What's up?" she greeted with a warm hug when he walked in. Sasuke stiffened at the contact, not comprehending what to do or why she was engulfing him in her warmth. Sensing his lack of response, she pulled back and gave him a quizzical look.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him cautiously. She knew that Sasuke wasn't usually this silent unless something was bothering him.

At her words, Sasuke erupted inside. She dared ask him what was wrong? A murderous aura surrounded him and Sakura had to take a step back out of fear and worry. He gave her the coldest glare he could muster and asked in an equally-cold tone "So, how'd your date with _Snell_ and _Robbins _go?"

"…What?" Sakura asked with a really confused yet cautious look on her face, her voice cracking as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Your _date_," he replied with the last word laced in venom, ignoring how the girl in front him seemed to be on the verge of crying. "Don't play dumb with me, Sakura. Aren't I supposed to understand, after all?"

"What the hell are you… oh. Oh! _Oh!_" she suddenly exclaimed, the look of fear on her face replaced by one of amusement as she burst into a fit of giggles and realization dawned upon her.

He stared at her, pissed that she even had the gall to laugh at the situation.

She then tried to stifle her laughter for a while before finally calming down and gave him a playful look. She then led him to the couch where she instructed him to sit and wait while she went up to her bedroom to get her "dates". Sasuke could only stare in mortified shock at the thought of what they could have been doing in her room.

A few moments later, he heard footsteps coming closer, but it boggled him that he only heard one set when he assumed he should be hearing three. '_They probably don't have the balls to face me. They're probably scared of what I'd do to their faces for stealing my girlfriend_', he thought bitterly.

When he saw Sakura, he wondered why she had two of her textbooks with her when it suddenly came crashing down upon him. Once she saw the look of shocked realization on his face, she grinned smugly and placed the two textbooks on the table in front of him.

"Here," she explained as she sat beside him and pointed to the two hardbound objects. "Meet Snell and Robbins—my "dates"." Sakura then looked at Sasuke expectantly while he processed the information in his head. And when he finally came to a conclusion, he face-palmed himself in embarrassment, causing Sakura to explode with laughter. He hid his face behind his hands as he waited for Sakura to calm down before turning to look at her with an apologetic look.

Seeing the sorry look he had on his face, she instantly stopped laughing and gave him a warm smile before climbing onto his lap and snaking her arms around his neck. On reflex, he wrapped his own arms around her waist and bent down slightly to plant a kiss on her lips. And with that, all the doubts in his mind were erased as they continued their make-out session to her bedroom.

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><p><strong>AN: **So… I hope this chapter made up for the long wait. Sorry if Sasuke sort of seemed like a sorry sap in this, but I think it's refreshing to see him with some sort of emotions, don't you think? XD It's about time he started feeling some of the hurt he caused Sakura to go through. :)) Well anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Drop a review, okay? ;)

**P.S.** Happy World Physical Therapy Day to all those who are studying to become, aspiring to be, or are Physical Therapists. ;) And a special shout-out to my friend, Abi, who's been waiting patiently with you guys for this update. :)) She was the one who reminded me to update so thank her! xD


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Aaaaaand I'm alive! Yaaaay! :)) Hello there, my wonderful readers! I am terribly sorry for the long wait. D: I was in a dreadful state of writer's block and was also knee-deep in preparations for three major events. But anyway, excuses aside, I won't keep you from the much-awaited chapter any longer. So without further ado, Chapter Four! :D Happy reading! ;)

**Written on: **December 27, 2011

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www (dot) yourtango (dot) com (slash) 200919756 (slash) tips-dating-med-student_.

**Warning(s): **AU.

* * *

><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter Four

_By Zagoorian Athena_

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><p><strong>4. "My brain's filled with so much information, I can't be expected to remember THAT!" will be the standard excuse for forgetting anniversaries, birthdays, and, if you get this far, probably the birth of your first-born.<strong>

It was a fine spring morning in the beautiful city of Konoha and somewhere within the busy shopping district was Sasuke Uchiha, looking as aloof as ever as he walked past store after store with one particular destination in mind.

Truth be told, however, Sasuke was actually _happy_ even though it didn't show in his features. And what, pray tell, was the cause of the Uchiha's joy? Simple: the following day marked the fifth year of his relationship with a certain pink-haired med student and Sasuke had already decided to take a huge step by asking for her hand in marriage. Somehow, he didn't even feel the slightest bit nervous because he was 100% percent positive she'd agree. So with a (subtle) spring in his step and the closest thing to a smile that he could muster, he entered the jewelry shop with intentions of buying Sakura Haruno the perfect engagement ring.

When Sasuke arrived at his penthouse suite after his short shopping trip, he then speed-dialed Sakura on his cellphone to drop hints about the dinner he had planned for the both of them for their anniversary. After all, he knew that his girlfriend needed constant reminding about these things. Time and time again, she kept forgetting birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates—and her excuse every single time?

'_Sasuke-kun, my brain's filled with so much information, I can't be expected to remember _that_!_'

The young Uchiha breathed a heavy sigh as the third ring came, and he could only hope that _for once_ Sakura remembered something that wasn't related to school. _Sometimes_, he told himself exasperatedly, _I just wish she'd drop out of med school and agree to be a housewife or something. _But Sasuke didn't have the heart to tell Sakura that—after all, her determination to save lives and compassion for others were amongst the many reasons he was so drawn to her.

"Hello?" came the voice of the soon-to-be-Mrs.-Sasuke-Uchiha as soon as she picked up.

"Hn, Sakura. I just called to remind you of our plans for tomorrow night. I'm picking you up at 7, okay?"

"Uuuh… plans? What plans?" she asked in a clueless tone.

"We made plans to have dinner at that new restaurant that just opened up, remember?"

"…Oh _shit_."

"(deep breath) Don't tell me you forgot about our date _again_," Sasuke replied as he massaged his temple in an attempt to keep calm.

"Sasuke-kun, my brain's filled with so much information, I can't be expected to remember _that_!" she countered with the all-too-familiar line. "I have an exam on Monday and I have to study tonight _and_ tomorrow night."

And right there and then, Sasuke felt his patience wear thin. "There you go with your excuse again! Sakura, when are you ever going to put me above your stupid exams? Just one night… I want to have you all to myself for just _one_ night. Is that too much to ask—that you remember a date we've been planning for months and _not_ have an excuse to bail at the last minute?" he finished with quickened breaths but as soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted having said them.

Silence engulfed the couple for a few minutes, and then, "Sasuke, you know perfectly well that my excuse is valid. I'm sorry but I won't be able to make it tomorrow," she responded with a hint of iciness in her tone. Then, the line went dead and the Uchiha was left staring at his phone with remorse at the words he uttered.

He hadn't meant to lash out at her like that, he told her voicemail numerous times, but a call from her never came even though he told her he'd be waiting. On the morning of their anniversary, he didn't even bother to get up from bed even though he barely got a wink of sleep that night. In fact, he spent the rest of the day lying down, only getting up and leaving his room for breakfast, lunch, and bathroom breaks.

At around 5 PM, Sasuke's cellphone rang and without a moment's hesitation, he picked it up in hopes that it was Sakura calling.

"Hello, Sakura?" he answered a bit too desperately.

"Yo, teme."

But alas, it was just _Naruto_.

"(sigh) What do you want, dobe?"

"I heard you and Sakura had a fight," he replied seriously.

"And how the fuck did you know about that?" came his angry retort.

"Sakura told Ino, Ino told Hinata, and Hinata told me. News travels fast, buddy."

"I thought Sakura was too busy studying for an exam?"

"Don't ask me! I'm not an expert on the female mind! Listen, I just called to check up on you. How are you holding up?"

"Hn. Leave me alone."

"If you want my advice…"

"I don't," the dark-haired male interrupted.

"…I say you go to her apartment and have a nice long talk," the blonde suggested.

"Hn."

"Or maybe have make-up sex. Either of that's fine."

"Nobody asked for your opinion."

"But you're gonna heed my advice anyway! So good luck, teme! Dattebayo!"

And before Sasuke could say anything else, his best friend had hung up and his obsidian eyes travelled from his phone to the small velvet box that lay atop his bedside table. Finally, and not that Sasuke would ever admit that he actually did what the dobe told him to do because the thought _had_ come to him a couple of times, he got up from his bed and proceeded to taking a shower and getting dressed so that he could apologize to Sakura and propose, fancy dinner or no fancy dinner.

When the Uchiha arrived at his girlfriend's apartment 30 minutes later, he knocked on the door and rung the doorbell with caution, fully prepared at any screaming he might receive from her end. But when the door opened to reveal a pair of hopeful emerald eyes, there was no screaming that ensued.

Sakura was more than relieved when she saw that it was who she had been waiting for that arrived, and when she took a step towards him to reveal her get-up, her inner couldn't help smiling smugly at his reaction.

Sasuke was taken by surprise with the black-dress-and-red-heels ensemble she had on, and got even more shocked when he looked behind her and spotted the table for two she had set up in the middle of her living room, complete with the candle lights and rose petals on the floor to create a romantic ambiance.

"I thought that it would be better to have an intimate dinner here at home than outside," she explained rather sheepishly as she realized what he was staring at behind her. When his eyes landed on her again, only then did he comprehend the current situation.

"You mean, you _planned _this? Everything?" he asked quite stupidly.

"Uh-huh. It was a good thing I asked Naruto to check up on you, too, otherwise you might have not come at all," she said with an apologetic smile while she twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

"So… you didn't forget?"

"Of course not, silly," she confidently said. And then, "Happy birthday, Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed with a bright grin that lit up the room and _ normally_, it would have made his insides melt with so much happiness except for the teeny tiny fact that it was _not_ July 23 and, therefore, _not_ his birthday.

"Just kidding," she quickly assured with a giggle when he all but gaped at her with a dumbfounded stupor. Entering his personal space and wrapping her arms around his neck, she then greeted him with a soft and sweet "Happy anniversary, Sasuke-kun" before pulling his head down for a passionate kiss.

When they resurfaced for some air, he brought their foreheads together and gave her a quick kiss there before taking a step back and getting down on one knee to do what he had intended to do in the first place.

"What are you doing?" she nervously asked as she eyed the object that he was taking out of his pocket.

"Sakura… I don't care if you forget birthdays and anniversaries and maybe even the birth of our first child when we get there…" he started and she merely covered her gaping mouth with her hand as tears threatened to fall from her eyes once she understood what he was trying to do. "…because all that matters is that I love you and more than just being a good doctor, I know that you'll be an even better wife and there is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me?"

At his words, she let the tears flow freely as she knelt down in front of him and engulfed him in a hug all the while saying "Yes! Yes, you idiot, _yes_!".

He returned the embrace wholeheartedly and with a playful yet satisfied smirk joked "Really? You sure you have enough space in your head to remember you agreed to marrying me?"

"Shut up," she said with a roll of her eyes and thus promptly proceeded to give him a night _to never forget_.

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><p><strong>AN: **Oh, God, that ending was cheesy. And I know that I seriously need to work on my writing. xD But I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! :))

I decided to mark the story as complete since this is, after all, a drabble series and the chapters aren't supposed to be connected to each other unless otherwise stated. Also, I don't really know when and if I can update anymore so in the (highly unlikely) chance that it ends with this chapter, then at least its completion has already been announced. Hopefully, though, I'd be able to update before summer starts in the Philippines, but I won't make any promises. xD So until the next chapter… ;) Oh, and don't forget to drop a review, okay? :) Happy holidays, y'all! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**Hi guys! First of all, a huuuuuge **thank you** to all those who have reviewed and marked this story as one of their favorites! :D It warms my heart to know that so many of you enjoyed my stories. ;) I am also _very _touched that some people have mentioned that they're willing to wait no matter how long for updates on this if ever I decided to not give up on HTDAMS just yet. xD So this update is dedicated to all you people who've been with me through all the previous chapters of _How to Date_… :) I love you guys. :3

**Written on:**February 19, 2012

**Disclaimer:**Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www (dot) yourtango (dot) com (slash) 200919756 (slash) tips-dating-med-student_.

**Warning(s):**AU.

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><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter Five

_By Zagoorian Athena_

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><p><strong>5. They're expected to know everything. <strong>_**Everything!**_** The name of the 8 billion-lettered, German-sounding cell that lives in the depths of your inner ear, the technical term for the "no one's ever heard of this disease" disease that exists only on one foot of the Southern tip of the African continent… But ask them if your knee is swollen, or what you should do to tame your mucous-filled cough, or why the heck your head feels like someone's been drilling oil through it for two weeks straight, and they won't have a clue.**

_Knock, knock_.

Sasuke groaned as he waited for his girlfriend—no, slash that—_fiancée _to open the door to her apartment. He had been standing there in the freezing weather for more than half an hour already and he could have sworn that with each knock, he could feel a simultaneous throbbing in his head as if someone was drilling oil right through it.

He heaved a heavy sigh as he rubbed his hands together to get them even just a tad bit warmer—he was _so_ going to get sick for this.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door opened to reveal a fresh-looking Sakura smiling apologetically up at him. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I was in the shower so I didn't hear you knock. Have you been waiting long?"

"Hn," he replied as he shuffled past her, eager to get out of the cold.

She shut the door behind her and proceeded to the kitchen to make them both some tea, used to his random bouts of unwillingness to respond to her questions like any normal person would—those things didn't matter to her anymore anyway.

The pink-haired med student then made her way to the man shivering slightly on her couch, two cups of warm tea on a tray which she placed on the coffee table in front of them as she took the spot next to him. Sasuke, who was busy trying _not_ make it seem like he was feeling cold, promptly rested his head on her shoulder upon her arrival and began snuggling into her neck while he wrapped his arms around her.

She giggled lightly at the feel of his hair tickling her chin, but weaved her hand through his locks and combed them soothingly anyway. Sakura knew that this relaxed him, and she also knew that this would be the last time they'd get to spend a quiet evening like this before she drowned herself in books again—another hell week was coming up.

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><p>The next morning, Sasuke awoke to the loud beeping of his alarm clock, coupled with his head pounding horribly and muscles aching like shit. Albeit reluctant, he moved to open the drawer on his bedside table to grab a thermometer and stuffed it into his mouth before turning the digital contraption on.<p>

Once the device started signalling that it was done, he removed it from his oral cavity and stared at the screen that displayed his whopping 102-degree temperature. _Yup_, he thought dejectedly, _definitely sick_. Another sigh, and then he proceeded to grabbing his cellphone from its perch on the bedside table.

The first thing he thus did was ring his office to inform his secretary that he wouldn't be able to make it today due to his condition, to which said person dumbly replied to with a stuttered "understood", finding it weird that the Uchiha whom she's worked with and for for _years_ called in sick for the very first time. _Uchihas_, she vaguely remembered grumbling to herself a few years ago when she wanted time off for herself but couldn't do so due to her boss' impeccable good health, _don't get sick _—or so she thought.

Then, he called the indirect reason why he's lying sick in bed in the first place. A few rings later, a sleepy "hello?" was heard as Sakura picked up.

"Sakura," he whined, which was something Sasuke only ever did around her.

"Sasuke-kun, do you know what time it is?" she complained half-asleep, not realizing that it was 8AM and, therefore, a very reasonable time to be calling someone up.

"Sakura, I'm _sick_," he said without answering her question, putting emphasis on the last word.

"Hmm? What do you want me to do about it, then?"

"Why don't you come over and take care of me?" he offered with an indefinite suggestiveness in his tone, voice husky and all. The smirk on his paler-than-usual face could practically be heard on the other line.

Still sleepy, Sakura didn't even catch the hint and only mumbled "I'm busy. Can't you get Naruto to do that?"

At this, Sasuke scrunched up his face in disgust (oh the horror of the mental images that immediately flooded his mind!) and only continued cajoling her into taking care of him. "Please?" he _sort of_ begged—an effect of his illness, he reasoned to himself.

"Mou, Sasuke-kun. I'm busy!" she explained exasperatedly, still in her state of not being fully awake.

"But I'm sick and you're a doctor. Aren't you supposed to take care of sick people?"

"I have a pathology exam coming up. I _need_ to study!"

"Isn't pathology the study of diseases?"

"What's your point?" she deadpanned.

"Aren't you at least going to tell me what I need to do or what medicine I should take?" he asked exasperatedly.

"You know, it's not like I go to med school to treat colds, Sasuke-kun! Figure it out yourself!" were her last words before he heard the unmistakable dial tone which meant that she just hung up on him.

Sasuke's eye twitched at her insensitivity—and people thought _he_ was cold-hearted!—but not having the energy nor patience to argue with her once more, he merely placed his phone back to where it originally was and tried to make himself comfortable on the bed with a tired grunt.

Well, _that_ certainly didn't make him feel any better.

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><p>Sasuke drew the blankets tighter around him as he stared at his bedroom ceiling, wondering if Sakura really was serious about not coming to visit him just because she had an exam. It's not like he didn't understand how important her studies were to her, but it wouldn't take that long to check up on him, would it?<p>

The young Uchiha sighed and turned on his side, willing for the drumming in his head to disappear along with whatever seemed to be congesting his throat and airways. Every time he tried to sleep, Sakura's apathetic voice kept ringing in his head and he found that it was harder to get some rest when he was also wondering about how much his own fiancée cared about him.

It didn't help that his mother was out of the country so he really _was_ left alone to take care of himself—and no, Naruto was definitely not an option… not if he didn't want his headache to worsen.

A few hours of tossing and turning later, a faint knock snapped him out of his muddled thoughts and it took him a few moments to realize that it wasn't just a hallucination caused by his high body temperature.

Reluctantly, he got up, donned his robe and wrapped himself in his comfy blanket, and made his way to the front door. And because he was pissed at whoever decided it was a good idea to disturb him while he was trying to rest, he was about to bite said person's head off when the sight of a _very_ lovely behind greeted him as soon as he opened the door.

As she heard the sound of the door being wrenched open, Sakura, who was in the middle of taking the extra set of keys to Sasuke's apartment from under the potted plant across the narrow hallway, straightened up and greeted him with another apologetic smile.

"How are you feeling?" she asked hesitantly, eyeing him in his current state: flushed face poking out from under a dark blue blanket wrapped snugly around his muscled form; she would have laughed if not for the serious look on his face.

He glared at her for a brief moment then just sighed and stepped aside to let her in. "Not so well," he replied honestly.

She started at him with wide eyes, surprised that he actually admitted to not feeling well.

"What?" he asked with a blush staining his cheeks, which could have easily been attributed to his fever. "Is it wrong to admit that I feel like crap when it's true?"

Sakura relaxed with his reply—_same old Sasuke_, she thought—and showed him the plastic bag in her hand. "Which is exactly why I brought soup for you," she explained.

"Oh, so _now_ you care for me?" He turned his head the other way to prove how mad he was.

"Seriously, Sasuke-kun? Are you really going to sulk when your _loving_ fiancée took the time off from studying to visit you?" She raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips as she gave him an intent look.

He merely snorted in reply.

But seeing that Sasuke was shivering a bit despite the layers on top of him, she gave up with the tirade and stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry about that and about what I said this morning."

He gazed at her from the corner of his eye before duly giving up and wrapping his arms around her petite frame, engulfing her in his warm blanket. "Aa," he said, which she understood as 'it's okay'.

"I thought you had an exam," he voiced out, muffled by Sakura's shirt.

"I figured I could use some hands-on experience," she explained as she pulled away from the embrace and took his hand and dragged him towards his bedroom.

The doctor-to-be then lightly pushed him unto his bed and ordered him to lie down while she bustled around his apartment to gather the things she needed to make the Uchiha feel better.

He grinned as he saw her blurry form rushing past his bedroom door and thought that maybe getting sick wasn't so bad.

"Sakura," he called out.

"Yeah?" he heard her answer from somewhere, _probably the kitchen_.

"…I love you."

Silence, and then her head popped up by the door and said "I love you, too" with the gentlest smile he'd ever seen.

_Yup, getting sick isn't so bad at all_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Sorry if this seems a bit rushed. :)) I actually wrote this when I was supposed to be studying for an exam, and I just haven't had the time to edit it properly since I was too excited to post it right away. xD Again, thanks to everyone who's been with me so far, and I hope new readers get to enjoy this drabble series as well. :) Keep the reviews coming, guys! 'Til next time... ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **So this totally came out of nowhere. LOL! I know I already said that I might not do a chapter 6 for this anymore, but what could I say to those plot bunnies? xD Hm, I don't have anything more to blabber about so happy reading, everyone! :)

**Written on: **January 12, 2015

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and all related characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The tips mentioned in this story are based on 'How to Date a Med Student' by Fox News iMag and can be seen on this site: _www -dot- yourtango -dot- com -slash- 200919756 -slash- tips-dating-med-student_

**Warning(s):** AU

* * *

><p><strong>How to Date a Med Student<strong>

Chapter Six

_By Zagoorian Athena_

* * *

><p><strong>6. A vacation together consists of a trip down the street to Walgreens for new highlighters and printer paper. <strong>

"Ready to go?" Sasuke asked, as he buckled himself in and turned to look at his girlfriend sitting in the passenger's seat.

"All set," Sakura happily replied with an excited grin while tapping the thick medical textbook perched on her lap.

Sasuke eyed the book warily one more time before pulling out of the driveway and onto the street to start their 4-hour drive to Otogakure where he and Sakura would be spending Christmas with his family. It wasn't the first time they would be meeting her, so he wasn't the least bit worried about the whole meet-the-parents ordeal; what he _was_ worried about was that thick, rectangular mass of a book that would no doubt keep her attention for the whole duration of their vacation.

When Sasuke brought up the topic of going to Oto with her, she was slightly reluctant to go at first because she was planning on holing herself up in her apartment for most of the holidays to study for her upcoming exams. Eventually, though, he managed to make her agree with promises of delicious food and by guilt-tripping her about how eager his mother was to see her again. It wasn't like Sakura didn't like his family, anyway; in fact, she adored Uchiha Mikoto very much and was just as excited to see the Uchiha matriarch.

A few minutes into their trip, when they were finally in the highway, Sakura opened her book to a dog-eared page full of scribbles of facts mentioned during the lecture that wasn't explicitly stated in the book, and of text highlighted with all the colors of the rainbow.

Sasuke saw her actions from his peripheral vision and scoffed silently before addressing her. "Isn't it bad to read while you're in a moving vehicle?"

"Oh, hush, Sasuke-kun," she said condescendingly as she picked up her handbag by her feet and started rummaging through it. "I know what I'm doing."

"Hn. Will you at least try to keep your studying to a minimum when we reach my parents' house?" he asked her in that commanding tone he used when he wanted to be all passive-aggressive with her.

"Of course I will! What do you take me for? I'm not _that_ rude, you know," she rebutted in a somewhat offended tone. "At least, not to your parents I'm not," she added as an afterthought then sent a childish grin his way before scouring through the depths of her bag again.

He gave her a smirk in reply and was resigned into letting her have her way again. "Is that why you're willing to risk ruining your eyesight by studying in the car, then?" he asked teasingly.

"Well, I've got to kill time during this long-ass drive somehow. I'm just making the most out of this so that I can spend more time eating your mom's delicious meals later on, you know? Anyway, it's not my fault I have an exam on the first day back from winter break. I swear: my professors find pleasure in torturing us students with these insanely hellish tests!"

Sasuke chose to ignore her rant and did a quick sideways glance at her. "What are you even looking for in there?"

"I can't find my stinking highlighters, damn it!" She huffed in frustration as she finally let go of her bag and told him resolutely, "We have to go back, Sasuke-kun."

He merely raised an eyebrow at her foolish request. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! You know I can't study without my highlighters!" Sakura then started to throw a silent tantrum by crossing her arms over her chest and attempted to threaten him with her glares that, to him, just seemed adorable.

"Sakura, we're in the middle of a highway. The next U-turn slot isn't for a few more miles," Sasuke explained to her as if speaking to a child. Honestly, sometimes it felt like he wasn't dating a full-grown woman at all!

She thus averted her gaze to the scenery outside and gave him the cold shoulder which caused Sasuke to sigh in defeat.

"Tell you what," he bargained, eyes still on the road but watching out for her little non-verbal cues from his peripheral vision. "We'll stop by the next store we come across and I'll buy you some new ones."

Sakura stiffened at this and slowly turned towards him once more, eyeing him suspiciously as if she didn't believe a word he was saying.

"Really?" she prodded.

"Hn."

Counting his grunt as an affirmation, her demeanor quickly changed into a hopeful one as she gave him her puppy eyes. "Will you buy me colored pens, too?"

"What? How's that even going to help you—"

"And post-its, as well?" she cut in before he could ask her why she needed them.

"Fine," he surrendered. "I will buy you highlighters and colored pens and post-its, then. Are you happy now?"

She nodded childishly, all signs of her tantrum long-gone as she sat quietly in her seat with a now-closed textbook on her lap.

'_The things this woman makes me agree to'_, he thought fondly as he glanced at her briefly once more, the edge of his lips tilted upward slightly into a small smile.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke-kun, I'm bored," Sakura whined for the sixth time already. It hadn't even been 30 minutes yet since the topic of her highlighters was dropped and she was already fidgeting in her seat.<p>

"I still haven't seen a store we can stop by for your stuff," he told her in a surprisingly calm manner. _It must be those relaxation techniques I taught him_, Sakura concluded when she realized this.

"Well, if things are going to continue on like this, then I'm gonna start singing," she threatened, as if it would actually evoke some sort of reaction from him.

It worked, though. "Sakura—"

"My body has many parts, and this is where it starts: phalanges I have ten and metatarsals then…" she belted out off-tune.

"I can't believe you're singing a song from Hannah Montana," he berated.

"I can't believe you even know that the song _is_ from Hannah Montana," she countered.

This caused him to shut up, the tips of his ears glowing red. He didn't know why he knew the song from that blasted teen's show either, but in any case, his girlfriend stopped singing but not before sniggering at his embarrassment.

A little over an hour later, she spotted the sign for a grocery store from a distance and Sasuke switched lanes when Sakura pointed this out, bouncing in her seat at the thought of new study materials.

"Nerd," he lightly teased her with a smirk as he pulled up into the parking lot. He went ignored, though, for she was already used to his lighthearted remarks on her weird love for school supplies.

Five new highlighters of varying colors, two packs of colored pens, and a huge stack of post-its later, Sakura and Sasuke were on the road again, him focusing on driving and her reading the textbook on her lap with her seat slightly reclined and her leggings-clad legs stretched out in front of her.

The rest of their trip carried on with a comfortable silence between them, with the stereo turned off because Sasuke knew Sakura wouldn't be able to concentrate otherwise. There were times when the Uchiha caught her dozing off but he didn't bother waking her up knowing how tired she was from trying to get in as many of her readings as she could before the trip. Besides, if she wanted him to wake her up, she would have said so.

"The fibula is next…" she muttered in her sleep. Sasuke's eyes widened for a bit, recognizing the lyrics to the same song she was singing earlier, but visibly relaxed when he realized she was just sleep talking.

Christmas came and went and so did their winter break. Between looking at childhood photos of Sasuke that Mikoto had "randomly" unearthed from their attic, and indulging in her wonderful cooking, Sakura wasn't able to do much studying. Not that she minded, though—family was more important, anyway, and Sasuke silently thanked her for that.

When they were back in Konoha again, Sakura finally got around to studying a few days before her exams, causing Sasuke's time with her to be limited to short visits to bring her food she would have otherwise neglected to buy for herself. He supposed he was used to it, though. Such was his fate for dating a med student whom he loved regardless.

…And the result of Sakura's exams? Top of the class, _as usual_, which they celebrated with a steamy, passion-filled night together as Sakura _palpated_ various muscles and bony landmarks across her boyfriend's body. Again, such was his fate for dating a med student whom he loved regardless.

THE END

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><p><strong>AN: **Okay, so the context ended up totally different, but it would have been boring if they'd just gone to a store to buy highlighters, the end. Hahaha! Thanks a bunch to those who put HTDAMS on their alert list even though I already said that I might not be continuing with this anymore. Chapter 7 may or may not come… I don't really know anymore. I have other stories I want to write first so it would depend on my motivation level. Hahaha. Anyway, reviews are love, you guys. :D


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